Items can not provide more than 200 points in any one attribute from now on

When spies are captured, their return time now depends on how "close" they were to succeeding. If they were really close, they will return in the same amount of time as if they had succeeded. If they didn't come anywhere close to succeeding, they will take 18 hours to return.

There is now a 90% chance to find attribute points while hitting someone larger than yourself and a 40% chance to find an attribute point when hitting someone smaller than yourself (it was a 75% chance in both cases in previous ages)

Experience gained from successful invasions is the same at low land levels, but increases faster than it used to with land size. It goes up by about 30% at 3k land sizes and by about 50% at 6k land sizes.

Experience gained for exploring land is now about 25% higher when you're small (1.5k land and smaller), but it increases less quickly with land now, so it's about 20% less than previous ages when you're at 6k land

The item cost formula has been revised so that it is less determined by the offence/defence of the item, and more determined by its attribute point modifiers. Also, item prices will be a bit lower for the really high-end pieces of equipment

Academies now house an additional 5 villagers or troops (for a total of 15)

Explorer's Foresight now costs 45,000 plus 15,000 research points per level, up from 45,000 plus 10,000 per level

Explorer's Intuition now costs 20,000 plus 3,000 research points per level, up from 20,000 plus 2,500 per level

There is a new military research area: Annexation.

It increases the amount of land gained from successful invasions by 1% per level. Increases the experience gained by your hero if sent on invasion by 2% per level.

Cost: 25,000 research points plus 2,500 per level

Max Level: 50

Note: this research does not effect the amount of land that invaded city loses. So, if a city were to get 100 land from a successful invasion without any points in Annexation, it will get 110 land with 10 points in Annexation, while the invaded city will still lose 100 land.

Hero Changes

The knowledge curve has been moved down to (stat)^1.8 down from 5*(stat)^1.5

The strength and vitality curves have been scaled back a bit. In particular, the strength and vitality bonuses are now 7*(stat)^1.62, down from 7*(stat)^1.64

Archmages's wisdom is now about 10% less effective

Thieves' thievery increases the amount of resources stolen by 1% per point, up from 0.95% in last age

Paladins start with level 10 Annexation

Refineries are 50% more effective for cities with merchant heroes when their hero is at home

God Changes

When god power is 2.5k or lower, it behaves the same as it did in previous ages. At higher levels, it grows more slowly

Baldur's Hringhorni have had their silver cost increase to 7500, up from 7000